Introduction

Can you imagine a world without electricity? How would your life be different if the power was out for a day? a week? a month? a year? Pretty scary, huh?
Now imagine a world without magnets. Do you think you would even notice they were gone? Are they only useful for holding papers to the refrigerator door? As you travel through the following activities, you will make the connection between electricity and magnetism. You will realize that magnets and electricity work together to make your life more comfortable.
Your team will explore electricity and magnetism together. Each member will be responsible for leading the team through part of the journey.

The Quest

How do electricity and magnetism affect your life? Use what you learn in the following activities to create a book or PowerPoint presentation entitled 'Roughing It...My Life Without Electricity and Magnetism...From A to Z.' You may use vocabulary terms, pictures, diagrams, or descriptions of objects using electricity and magnetism for your entries or slides. Your final book or slide show should present a well-rounded look at the impact of electricity and magnetism in your everyday life.

The Process and Resources

You will be a member of a group of students from our classroom. Each group will produce its own book or PowerPoint presentation about electricity and magnetism. Each group member will be responsible for leading the group through certain activities. When you are the leader for your group, you will be responsible to keep your group focused and record any information needed for future use. Remember, you can only be a leader if people are following you. Make sure you treat people with respect and patience.

Phase 1 - Background: Something for Everyone

Your journey will take you to many different places. Be sure to carefully read all directions and complete all activities. Take the time to think through the experiments and demonstrations. How do they show differences between electricity and magnetism? How do they show similarities between electricity and magnetism?
Start by discussing the following idioms and metaphors. Write down what you think now. At the end of the journey, look at them again and revise your thoughts and answers.

1. That was a hair-raising experience!
2. He's a real live wire.
3. The baby was out like a light.
4. She has a magnetic personality.
5. They're polar opposites.
6. Opposites attract!
7. It's causing friction between the two of them.

Phase 2 - Looking Deeper from Different Perspectives

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Individuals from your larger WebQuest team will lead one of the roles below.

2. All group members must complete all of the activities.

3. Your group should have a folder with paper to create a log of your work. Keep a running record of possible entries for each letter of the alphabet to use for your final project. Also keep any worksheets and data from your activities and experiments.

4. Be patient with each other and with the computers! Your team will take turns on the computer with the other teams. You will also have additional reading and assignments from your science textbook.

Groundwork Guru

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Groundwork Guru:

1. Start with the Dictionary link. The Groundwork Guru should look up the vocabulary words and write down the word and its definition in your group log. Be careful! Choose the correct definition for each vocabulary word!

2. Check out all of the links on the Thomas Edison site. Each member should choose which of Edison's inventions was the most important. Give three reasons for your choice. The Groundwork Guru should write these in your group log.

3. Take control of the mouse to take the quiz and watch the movie on BrainPop on static electricity. Print an activity page for each member of your group.

4. Take control of the mouse to take the quiz and watch the movie on BrainPop on the periodic table. Print an activity page for each member of your group.

5. Lead a group discussion on possible entries for your alphabet list for final project ideas. Write these down.

• Thomas Edison - All about Edison
• Dictionary - Look up vocabulary words
• BrainPop Movie and Quiz for Static Electricity - Interactive instruction for static electricity
• BrainPop Movie and Quiz for the Periodic Table - Interactive instruction for the periodic table

Electrical Expert

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Electrical Expert:

1. Start with the BrainPop quiz and movie. Take control of the mouse to answer the quiz questions. Then view the movie. Print an activity page for each member of your group.

2. Check out The Adventures of Elena, the Power Girl. Guide your group through this site.

3. Read through the activity on conductors and insulators with your group. Gather the supplies you need from the classroom and try it yourself. Be sure to record all of your data!

4. Try this online experiment on electrolysis. Watch it online first. Let your teacher know when you are ready to try the real thing!

5. Lead a group discussion on possible entries for your alphabet list for final project ideas. Write these down.

• Electrolysis - Online experiment to create circuit to make water bubble
• Adventures of Elena, the Power Girl - Sources of energy; make pinwheel and water turbine
• Conductor or Insulator - Experiment with a variety of materials to determine if they are conductors or insulators
• BrainPop Movie and Quiz for Electricity - Interactive instruction for electricity

Magnetic Mogul

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Magnetic Mogul:

1. Lead your group through the quiz and movie at BrainPop on magnetism. Print an activity page for each group member.

2. One at a time, carefully read the instructions for the activities on magnets, magnetic poles, magnetic insulators, and magnetic fields. Gather the materials you need for each experiment. Record your data.

3. Lead a group discussion on possible entries for your alphabet list for final project ideas. Write these down.

• Magnets - Initial observations about a magnet/compass
• Magnetic Poles - Observations about a magnet's poles
• Magnetic Insulators - Test materials in different amounts to determine insulator ability
• Magnetic Fields - Map the magnetic field of a magnet
• BrainPop Movie and Quiz for Magnetism - Interactive instruction on magnetism

Super Synthesist

Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Super Synthesist:

1. Check this out! Magnetic electricity and electrical magnets! Lead your group through this experiment. Record your data.

2. Explore the many appliances in your home that use electromagnets through the Appliances Using Electric Motors link. What are your group's 'Top Three Choices' for appliances you would not want to live without? List these in your log and include why you chose them.

3. Lead a group discussion on possible entries for your alphabet list for final project ideas. Write these down.

3. Take control of the computer to create a PowerPoint presentation for your final project, 'Roughing It...My Life Without Electricity and Magnetism...From A to Z', or assign letters and pages for your book to each group member. If you are doing a PowerPoint, you are the computer controller for your group...everyone should be involved in what goes on each slide.

4. Make sure the names of all group members are on your final project.

5. Turn in your final project and your group log to your teacher.

• Electromagnets - Build and test an electromagnet
• Appliances Using Electric Motors and Electromagnets - List of appliances and how they work.

Phase 3 - Debating, Discussing, and Reaching Consensus

So! Now that you know more about electricity and magnetism, could you live without them? What about those idioms and metaphors? Add to the thoughts your group wrote down at the start of your journey. Do you understand them better now?

Phase 4 - Real World Feedback

Hopefully, you've 'Made the Connection' between electricity and magnets. Remember how important they both are to our lives every time you use a magnet to hold a paper to your refrigerator door!

Your Contact is: the designated contact

Conclusion

Share your final presentations with the class. Did your group find something unique to share? Was there something that all of the groups thought was important enough to include in their final project?

One more step! Put what you've discovered to the test. Take the final written test for Electricity and Magnetism. It'll be a positively, electrifyingly polar experience!